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　the　threat　of　exposure　as　much　as　I　should。　Too　panicstricken　that　I　might　have　injured　her　myself　in　my　effort　to　protect　her。　Too　frightened　to　have　her　this　close　to　me；　knowing　what　I　would　smell　if　I　allowed　myself　to　inhale。　Too　aware　of　the　heat　of　her　soft　body；　pressed　against　mine　even　through　the　double　obstacle　of　our　jackets；　I　could　feel　that　heat

The　first　fear　was　the　greatest　fear。　As　the　screaming　of　the　witnesses　erupted　around　us；　I　leaned　down　to　examine　her　face；　to　see　if　she　was　conscious　hoping　fiercely　that　she　was　not　bleeding　anywhere。　Her　eyes　were　open；　staring　in　shock。　Bella？　I　asked　urgently。　I　m　fine。　Are　you　all　right？　She　said　the　words　automatically　in　a　dazed　voice。　Relief；　so　exquisite　it　was　nearly　pain；　washed　through　me　at　the　sound　of　her　voice。　I　sucked　in　a　breath　through　my　teeth；　and　did　not　mind　the　acpanying　burn　in　my　throat。　I　almost　weled　it。　She　struggled　to　sit　up；　but　I　was　not　ready　to　release　her。　It　felt　somehow　safer？　Better；　at　least；　having　her　tucked　into　my　side。　Be　careful；　I　warned　her。　I　think　you　hit　your　head　pretty　hard。　There　had　been　no　smell　of　fresh　blood　a　mercy；　that　but　this　did　not　rule　out　internal　damage。　I　was　abruptly　anxious　to　get　her　to　Carlisle　and　a　full　pliment　of　radiology　equipment。　Ow；　she　said；　her　tone　ically　shocked　as　she　realized　I　was　right　about　her　head。　That　s　what　I　thought。　Relief　made　it　funny　to　me；　made　me　almost　giddy。　How　did　you　get　How　in　the　Her　voice　trailed　off；　and　her　eyelids　fluttered。　over　here　so　fast？　The　relief　turned　sour；　the　humor　vanished。　She　had　noticed　too　much。　Now　that　it　appeared　that　the　girl　was　in　decent　shape；　the　anxiety　for　my　family　became　severe。　I　was　standing　right　next　to　you；　Bella。　I　knew　from　experience　that　if　I　was　very　confident　as　I　lied；　it　made　any　questioner　less　sure　of　the　truth。　She　struggled　to　move　again；　and　this　time　I　allowed　it。　I　needed　to　breathe　so　that　I　could　play　my　role　correctly。　I　needed　space　from　her　warmblooded　heat　so　that　it　would　not　bine　with　her　scent　to　overwhelm　me。　I　slid　away　from　her；　as　far　as　was　possible　in　the　small　space　between　the　wrecked　vehicles。　She　stared　up　at　me；　and　I　stared　back。　To　look　away　first　was　a　mistake　only　an　inpetent　liar　would　make；　and　I　was　not　an　inpetent　liar。　My　expression　was　smooth；　benign　It　seemed　to　confuse　her。　That　was　good。　The　accident　scene　was　surrounded　now。　Mostly　students；　children；　peering　and　pushing　through　the　cracks　to　see　if　any　mangled　bodies　were　visible。　There　was　a　babble　of　shouting　and　a　gush　of　shocked　thought。　I　scanned　the　thoughts　once　to　make　sure　there　were　no　suspicions　yet；　and　then　tuned　it　out　and　concentrated　only　on　the　girl。　She　was　distracted　by　the　bedlam。　She　glanced　around；　her　expression　still　stunned；　and　tried　to　get　to　her　feet。

I　put　my　hand　lightly　on　her　shoulder　to　hold　her　down。　Just　stay　put　for　now。　She　seemed　alright；　but　should　she　really　be　moving　her　neck？　Again；　I　wished　for　Carlisle。　My　years　of　theoretical　medical　study　were　no　match　for　his　centuries　of　handson　medical　practice。　But　it　s　cold；　she　objected。　She　had　almost　been　crushed　to　death　two　distinct　times　and　crippled　one　more；　and　it　was　the　cold　that　worried　her。　A　chuckle　slid　through　my　teeth　before　I　could　remember　that　the　situation　was　not　funny。　Bella　blinked；　and　then　her　eyes　focused　on　my　face。　That　sobered　me　again。　She　glanced　toward　the　south；　though　there　was　nothing　to　see　now　but　the　crumpled　side　of　the　van。　You　were　by　your　car。　No；　I　wasn　t。　I　saw　you；　she　insisted；　her　voice　was　childlike　when　she　was　being　stubborn。　Her　chin　jutted　out。　Bella；　I　was　standing　with　you；　and　I　pulled　you　out　of　the　way。　I　stared　deeply　into　her　wide　eyes；　trying　to　will　her　into　accepting　my　version　the　only　rational　version　on　the　table。　Her　jaw　set。　No。　You　were　over　there。　I　tried　to　stay　calm；　to　not　panic。　If　only　I　could　keep　her　quiet　for　a　few　moments；　to　give　me　a　chance　to　destroy　the　evidence　。and　undermine　her　story　by　disclosing　her　head　injury。　Shouldn　t　it　be　easy　to　keep　this　silent；　secretive　girl　quiet？　trust　me；　just　for　a　few　moments　If　only　she　would　Please；　Bella；　I　said；　and　my　voice　was　too　intense；　because　I　suddenly　wanted　her　to　trust　me。　Wanted　it　badly；　and　not　just　in　regards　to　this　accident。　A　stupid　desire。　What　sense　would　it　make　for　her　to　trust　me？　Why？　she　asked；　still　defensive。　Trust　me；　I　pleaded。　Will　you　promise　to　explain　everything　to　me　later？　It　made　me　angry　to　have　to　lie　to　her　again；　when　I　so　much　wished　that　I　could　somehow　deserve　her　trust。　So；　when　I　answered　her；　it　was　a　retort。　Fine。　Fine；　she　echoed　in　the　same　tone。　While　the　rescue　attempt　began　around　us　adults　arriving；　authorities　called；　sirens　in　the　distance　I　tried　to　ignore　the　girl　and　get　my　priorities　in　the　right　order。　I　searched　through　every　mind　in　the　lot；　the　witnesses　and　the

lateers　both；　but　I　could　find　nothing　dangerous。　Many　were　surprised　to　see　me　here　beside　Bella；　but　all　concluded　as　there　was　no　other　possible　conclusion　that　they　had　just　not　noticed　me　standing　by　the　girl　before　the　accident。　She　was　the　only　one　who　didn　t　accept　the　easy　explanation；　but　she　would　be　considered　the　least　reliable　witness。　She　had　been　frightened；　traumatized；　not　to　mention　sustaining　the　blow　to　the　head。　Possibly　in　shock。　It　would　be　acceptable　for　her　story　to　be　confused；　wouldn　t　it？　No　one　would　give　it　much　credence　above　so　many　other　spectators　I　winced　when　I　caught　the　thoughts　of　Rosalie；　Jasper　and　Emmett；　just　arriving　on　the　scene。　There　would　be　hell　to　pay　for　this　tonight。　I　wanted　to　iron　out　the　indention　my　shoulders　had　made　against　the　tan　car；　but　the　girl　was　too　close。　I　d　have　to　wait　till　she　was　distracted。　It　was　frustrating　to　wait　so　many　eyes　on　me　as　the　humans　struggled　with　the　van；　trying　to　pull　it　away　from　us。　I　might　have　helped　them；　just　to　speed　the　process；　but　I　was　already　in　enough　trouble　and　the　girl　had　sharp　eyes。　Finally；　they　were　able　to　shift　it　far　enough　away　for　the　EMTs　to　get　to　us　with　their　stretchers。　A　familiar；　grizzled　face　appraised　me。　Hey；　Edward；　Brett　Warner　said。　He　was　also　a　registered　nurse；　and　I　knew　him　well　from　the　hospital。　It　was　a　stroke　of　luck　the　only　luck　today　that　he　was　the　first　through　to　us。　In　his　thoughts；　he　was　noting　that　I　looked　alert　and　calm。　You　okay；　kid？　Perfect；　Brett。　Nothing　touched　me。　But　I　m　afraid　Bella　here　might　have　a　concussion。　She　really　hit　her　head　when　I　yanked　her　out　of　the　way　Brett　turned　his　attention　to　the　girl；　who　shot　me　a　fierce　look　of　betrayal。　Oh；　that　was　right。　She　was　the　quiet　martyr　she　d　prefer　to　suffer　in　silence。　She　did　not　contradict　my　story　immediately；　though；　and　this　made　me　feel　easier。　The　next　EMT　tried　to　insist　that　I　allow　myself　to　be　treated；　but　it　wasn　t　too　difficult　to　dissuade　him。　I　promised　I　would　let　my　father　examine　me；　and　he　let　it　go。　With　most　humans；　speaking　with　cool　assurance　was　all　that　was　needed。　Most　humans；　just　not　the　girl；　of　course。　Did　she　fit　into　any　of　the　normal　patterns？　As　they　put　a　neck　brace　on　her　and　her　face　flushed　scarlet　with　embarrassment　I　used　the　moment　of　distraction　to　quietly　rearrange　the　shape　of　the　dent　in　the　tan　car　with　the　back　of　my　foot。　Only　my　siblings　noticed　what　I　was　doing；　and　I　heard　Emmett　s　mental　promise　to　catch　anything　I　missed。　Grateful　for　his　help　and　more　grateful　that　Emmett；　at　least；　had　already　forgiven　my　dangerous　choice　I　was　more　relaxed　as　I　climbed　into　the　front　seat　of　the　ambulance　next　to　Brett。　The　chief　of　police　arrived　before　they　had　gotten　Bella　into　the　back　of　the　ambulance。

Though　Bella　s　father　s　thoughts　were　past　words；　the　panic　and　concern　emanating　out　of　the　man　s　mind　drown　out　just　about　every　other　thought　in　the　vicinity。　Wordless　anxiety　and　guilt；　a　great　swell　of　them；　washed　out　of　him　as　he　saw　his　only　daughter　on　the　gurney。　Washed　out　of　him　and　through　me；　echoing　and　growing　stronger。　When　Alice　had　warned　me　that　killing　Charlie　Swan　s　daughter　would　kill　him；　too；　she　had　not　been　exaggerating。　My　head　bowed　with　that　guilt　as　I　listened　to　his　panicked　voice。　Bella！　he　shouted。